DERA MURAD JAMALI: Vikki Kumar, a leading businessman and son of a former senator of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F, who had been kidnapped four months ago, was recovered and taken to his home on Saturday evening.

He was taken away on gunpoint from his rice mill on May 20 when he was sitting there with his friends.

Mr Kumar’s father, Heman Das, confirmed to Dawn that he had returned home safely after remaining in the captivity of kidnappers for a total of 118 days.

Sources said the kidnappers had taken the businessman to Kalat.

Police and other law enforcement agencies initially raided various places in Nasirabad district but could not find Mr Kumar’s whereabouts. However, once they got information about his presence in Kalat, police sought the help of influential tribal elders of Nasirabad and Kalat districts and held negotiations with the kidnappers and succeeded in getting him released.

According to the sources, the tribal elders who made efforts for Mr Kumar’s safe recovery included Sardar Changez Khan Sasoli, the chairman of the Kalat District Council, former provincial minister Mir Abdul Ghafoor Lehri, Hafizullah Jattak, Mama Wahid Bakhsh Bangulzai, Shoakat Bang­ulzai and Haji Rehmatullah Bangulzai.

However, it could not be ascertained on what terms the kidnappers set the businessman free. They had demanded a huge ransom for his release.

Mr Kumar’s family maintained that no ransom had been paid for his release. “Vikki Kumar was released purely due to the efforts of the tribal elders,” Mr Das said.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2017